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A Capacity crowd, estimated at more than 50,000 saw Canterbury beat the Springboks 9-6 at Lancaster Park today.
The gates had to be closed about three quarters of an hour before the game, and at least 3000 people could not gain admittance.
The weather was ideal calm and overcast- and the ground in good order. Before the game the teams were introduces to the Minister of Railways, Mr J. K. McAlpine, by Mr R. W. Blazey, president of the Canterbury Rugby Union.
Henderson kicked off for Canterbury, who defended the south end of the ground, and Buchler cleared to the twenty-five.
Vincent kicked through from the lineout and the Canterbury forwards surged through, urged on bya great roar from the crowd. Hill and then Duff, crashed powerfully ahead from a line out near the side line, and a great roar went up when flanker John Buxton scored for Canterbury after only three minutes. Buchler was injured trying to stop Hill and went off.
Henderson’s kick was wide. Canterbury 3, South Africa 0.
Easy Penalty
South Africa were awarded a penalty against a Canterbury forward, and from 25 yards out Nel equalized with and easy goal. Canterbury 3, South Africa 3.
Bremner missed a pass and the Springbok forwards sped through but the Canterbury man redeemed himself with a good clearing kick.
Buchler was carried off and South African hearts sank. Ulyate went to fullback and Lochner took the inside centre place.
Canterbury were penalized in a lineout when Buxton got ahead of the ball, and with 10 minutes gone Nel attempted a long kick. It just fell short.
Defence held
Henderson broke through brilliantly, but the attack broke down when Dixon was smothered. Howe retaliated with a smashing run but the Canterbury defence held.
Buchler returned to the field.
A certain try was lost for South Africa when Kirkpatrick’s pass to Nel was muffled, and another dash by Howe was also repulsed by quick tackling by the Canterbury backs. Stuart raised a sigh of regret when he went off with an injured shoulder.
Robert’s went out to the wing and Dixon, now fullback, did his first good deed with a crisp clearing kick.
Dangerous
The South African backs were looking very dangerous, and the home defence had to watch them closely.
Duff and Buxton led another Canterbury forward rush through, but Buchler cleared. Back in the tourist’s territory, Canterbury took the lead again when a penalty was awarded to them after a fierce ruck. Henderson goaled and made the score
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Canterbury 6, South Africa 3. Stuart emulated Buchler by returning to a great cheer, and immediately cleared nicely.Strydom was feeding his backs crisply, but Canterbury’s defence held.
Buxton and burry led a stirring Canterbury rush into South African territory, but a forward pass stopped it. Dixon fooled the opposition with a nice reverse pass to Burry, but Buchler marked the centering kick and cleared successfully.
Whineray was penalized for over indulgent rucking, and Buchler gained more ground. Stuart took a high kick by Nel and cleared like a champion.
Bremner kicked ahead after Henderson had just halted a South African back movement, but Buchler cleared. Smith got applause when he cleared after a tricky grubber kick by Ulyate and did the same again just after.
Scores even
The tourists made every post a winner when Nel beat Henderson and fed the nippy Howe, who scored wide out to even the scores after 24 minutes, Buchler missed the kick Canterbury 6, South Africa 6.
Dixon neatly dodged Kirkpatrick, and Canterbury were back on attackagain. Two minutes’ play was left in the first half when Koch was penalized and Henderson placed the ball in a sawdust patch. His kick failed, but Canterbury lost no ground, as the tourist’ clearing kick sliced away.
Half time with no change in the score:
CANTERBURY …… 6 SOUTH AFRICA ….. 6
Ulyate restarted play with a long kick to the Canterbury twenty-five, and De Wilzen cleared after scrambling play. Stuart had to clear again as the Springbok flankers shot ahead menacingly.
Briers was racing away after another slick back movement, but a previous knock-on by Nel brought play back. An early tackle of Smith gave Canterbury another scoring opportunity but Henderson missed from 45 yards out, in front of the posts.
A fine clearance by Ulyate relieved South Africa’s line but Vincent turned the tables with a high kick and Elsoms low grubber nearly resulted in a try. Howe was caught behind his own goal-line by three Canterbury men, and from the resultant set scrum Dixon nearly twisted his way over.
A premature charge-down gave Canterbury yet another scoring chance, but play was held up while Strydon received medical attention. Bremner tried a drop kick at goal, but it missed.
Stuart gained valuable ground with a distance-eating punt along the embankment touch.
Canterbury’s chances were being spoilt by almost universal South African possession. A lineout on the Canterbury twenty-five looked dangerous but Stuart slammed crisply for touch. Dixon raised Canterbury’s hopes with a spectacular centre kick,
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and Whineray and Hill led a fiery rush to the South African home territory. The advantage was held although the visitors tried desperately to clear. Willing play was becoming more prevalent in the rucks, and after one forage Du Rand was penalized. Bremner’s long kick missed.
The struggle for passion in the tight was uncompromising. Bremner had the right medicine with a high up and under, and a further cleverkick by Stuart along touch put Canterbury really in the picture. From a line-out ruck in the Springboktwenty-five Kirkpatrick found touchwith a fly-kick to relieve.
South Africa had a turn when Nel cut through after a Howe subterfuge and ill-fortune hit Canterbury, too as Stuart left the field with a recurrence of his shoulder injury with 17 min’s left to play.
Canterbury just forced after a solid Springbok attempt on the line. The crowd was on its toes again when Canterbury’s forwards lunged towards the South African line, and Bremner nearly succeeded with a drop goal.
Final end
Nine minutes left, and Canterbury kept play in Springbok territory. The crowd was chanting for a Canterbury score, and a penalty awarded to Canterbury was kicked by Henderson, to give the home side the lead. Canterbury 9, South Africa 6.
Elsom brilliantly lowered Kirkpatrick after Nel had made another slashing break.
The referee appeared mystified at what looked like an undercover punching in the scrums.
Meantime Stuart had returned, with five minutes to go, and thehuge crowd was at fever pitch as the packs battled like giants for passion.
It looked like a Canterbury win as the red-and-black fifteen held doggedly on the their advantage. Anoff-side breach by De Wilzen did not help matters.
Smith belted the ball into touch and the crowd were in a ne fervour of excitement as a scrum went down near the Springbok goal. It was rugged going, and the referee seemed oblivious to the tigerish rucking. The crownd went mad as the inal whistle sounded and both teams were swamped as Canterbury left the field with a great victory to it’s credit.
The teams
SPRINGBOKS
Fullback: Buchler.
Threequarters: Briers, Nel, Kirkpatrick.
Five-eights: Howe, Ulyate.
Halfback: Strydom.
Back row: Lochner.
Middle row: Retief, Du Rand, Claassen, De Wilzen.
Front row: Koch, Van der Merwe, Bekker.
Canterbury
Fullback: Stuart
Threequartes: Dixon, Elsom, Smith.
Five-eights: Henderson, Bremner.
Halfback: Vincent
Back row: Roberts,
Middle row: Burry, Hill, Duff, Buxton.
Front row: Hern, Young, Whineray. |
